New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-11
IMPORTANT CABLE LETTERS.

The TRIBuNE's foreign and diplomatic
news comes, as baseball enthusiast would
saw, hot from the bat. In yesterdays issue
an Irish member Of Parliament described in
detail the exciting scenes Of Friday at Mitchels-
town, when mass meeting in a public square
was broken up and vast concourse Of men,
women and children were fired upon ruthlessly
from constabular barracks. 1t was most
animated and thrilling account of the opening
skirmish. of the new Tory campaign OF coercion
"a skirmish rendered memorable by the pres
ence of representative English Liberals among
the leaders of the National League. Mr.
DiilOn's own experiences were subsequently
related in his own trenchant language, so that
two Irish members of Parliament who were
eye witnesses of this deporable affair imme-
diately recorded in our columns their painful
impressions and fiery indignation.
Cur regular london correspondent reviews
in more moderate and critical tone to-day
the events of this fateflil scene, indicating
clearly the opposite views taken OF 1T by
party journals. The chief Liberal organs
comments upon the Governments course and
the wantonness of the butchery are as bitter
as either Mr. Dillon's or Mr.. ellis. The
melancholy beginning of battle between the
forces Of order and disorder, and hold the
National League and the visiting English
Liberals responsible for the outbreak. This
question of responsibility will be discussed
this week in the last political debate Of the
waning session of Parliament, but probably
with little effect. The Government has entered
upon the barren track of coercion and cannot
turn back. 1t must go on, but it cannot 20 far.
The moral forces of English democracy are in
revolt against the barbarsm of government
by musket and budgcon IN country which
has been garrisoncd for four centuries and is
not vet reconclsa 70 q civilization essentially
alien to it.
The cable letter to-day contains fresh evil
dcnce of the vigilance of our London Office in
discerning the trend of American diplomacy
Sir james fergussOn's declaration in the Com
mons that the captured British scalers. in
the Judgment of the Government, had been
taken illegally and that the Wasking ton
authorities had ordered the release Of vessels
and crews and the suspension OF customs
seizures in those waters. implied a reversal
OF the vigorous course adopted by the Admin
istration this summer Our London corre-
spondcnt supplements this important diplo-
matte announcement with statement Of the
views Of distinguished American on Secre-
taIy Bayards fisheries policy. These critl-
cisms will be easily recognized as those OF a
leader of public opinion who is most competent
to form a broad and statesnlanikc judgment
of the questions at issue. lie asserts that
Secretary Bayard has blunderingly succeeded
in combining the Atlantic and BchrBg Sea
fisheries questions in an awkward shape, and
apparently apprchendsa repetition Of American
ill-luck in the results of negotiations On the
Northern frontier. Certainly if the State De
partment has raised an issue on the Pacific
coast merely for the sake Of making a complete
surrender all along the line from Newfound-
land to the Seal Islands, it will be melan-
choly exhibition of pusillanimous diplomacy.
What is needed at Washington Is states
manship characterized not only by resolute
courage in the defence of American rights,
but also by breadth Of view in forecasting
rhe development Of a Continental policy
A pcttnOgging diplomacy which sue
rifces American interests of the future by
untinely compacts and unnecessary conces-
sions, like those involved in the Clayton
Bulwer Convention and the Treaty of 1918,
Invariably proves costly in the end.